Lincat introduce new range of pizza ovens

Prompted by the popularity of its PO49X, PO69X and PO89X pizza ovens, Lincat has launched a new premium range of pizza ovens. Offering a top temperature of 480 degrees centigrade, each of the new ovens is equipped with a viewing window, internal illumination and an external temperature gauge, which allow easy monitoring of the cooking process.

Built to highest specification, they are ideal for Italian restaurants and pizzerias as well as a wide range of other catering establishments.

There are six new premium pizza ovens to choose from, ranging in capacity from the PO425 which can cook 4 x 10” pizzas at a time, to the twin-deck PO630-2 which can accommodate 12 x 12” pizzas. Firebrick bases ensure the crisp, even cooking of pizza bases.

“Pizza is an established favourite in almost every catering outlet and our pizza ovens produce delicious, authentic pizzas whether deep pan, thin crust, fresh dough, part baked or frozen”, said Nick McDonald, Marketing Director of Lincat Ltd. “They can however be used for much more besides including a variety of breads such as ciabatta and naan, as well as foods such as lasagne, jacket potatoes, pies pasties and pastries.”

Lincat’s new pizza ovens offer precise thermostatic control, with separate heat controls for the top and the base of each oven and an audible 20 minute timer.

Twin-deck models feature independent controls for each deck. Their double glazed construction contributes to energy efficiency and a removable crumb tray makes for easy cleaning. The new ovens can be used on the counter top but floor stands are available as an optional extra. Single deck models can be stacked two high.

In addition to the new premium range models, Lincat offers four standard pizza ovens. The PO69X can accommodate six 9” pizzas or two 14” pizzas on its firebrick base, whereas the PO49X pizza oven will cook 4 x 9” or 2 x 12” pizzas at a time and the twin deck PO89X offers double this capacity. For smaller establishments the LPO model has the capacity to cook either 2 x 9”, 4 x 7” or 1 x 14” pizzas. Lincat Ltd manufactures one of the world’s most comprehensive ranges of catering equipment.

Products are sold throughout the UK by Graffters so if we can be of assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

The need for ice hygiene!

Hygiene standards are rigorously adhered to where food service is concerned.  However, when it comes to the dispensing of ice a poor awareness of cleanliness is often displayed.  Food safety regulations require that ice must be made, handled and stored under conditions which protect it from contamination.

To comply with this, businesses frequently invest in an ice machine equipped with the latest sanitising methods.  But without paying attention to basic serving practices their hygiene standards will be below par.

Many ice machines are designed to be hygienic and easy to keep clean.  Key parts are removable and any surfaces that come into contact with water or ice use an Agion antibacterial compound in their composition which reduces the growth and build up of harmful bacteria.

Some manufacturers such as Classeq also supply an ice machine sanitising spray.  This should be used at least once a week on the inside of the machine to kill any bacteria.

To further raise standards:

• Staff who dispense ice should be trained in the correct procedures and wash their hands frequently
• At no time should staff handle ice with unprotected hands.  A scoop should always be used, preferably by staff wearing gloves
• The scoop should be stored above the level of the ice so that the scoop handle does not come into contact with the fresh ice.
• If bar-top ice buckets are used to speed up serving, customers should not be encouraged to help themselves
• At no time should staff scoop up ice with the glass in which the drink is to be served.  This is an extremely high risk practice.  Not only is there the risk that the ice could become contaminated but there is the added danger of breakage and small chips of glass becoming mixed in with the ice.
• The door of the ice storage bin should be kept closed.
• Remember to follow the manufacturer’s cleaning and maintenance instructions and have the machine regularly serviced.

Make sure that you employ best practice when it comes to making use of ice in your establishment.

School food for the future

Good quality, nutritious food is important to everyone wanting a healthy lifestyle and can also help children and young people to harness their full educational potential and it has been researched that a lifelong pattern for healthy eating is something that is developed at a young age.

Over the years the Government, local authorities and schools have spent significant time researching the issues surrounding school food and various initiatives such as the nutritional standards for school food have been introduced.  A lot of schools has invested significantly in their catering facilities and offerings and much has been written in the media about school dinners and the quality of food on offer to the younger generation across the UK.

Overall, there is a growing desire to raise the nutritional standards of the school food offering, including snacks and drinks available at school, to increase the number of children eating school meals, to improve the quality of the diet and to promote a greater understanding of how food has a wider effect on the life of an individual child whilst at school, and throughout their lives.

A question of balance
It is however not always just about the food as the challenge for all schools is to meet the above lifestyle changes whilst balancing the books and it is not a straightforward proposal.

Thankfully, as a result of Government initiatives there have been regulations introduced to set out the standards for school lunches which include:

• Certain food items such as processed ‘economy’ burgers are now banned
• Deep fried products have been limited to twice a week
• More fruit and vegetables, better quality meat products and healthier drinks are now available

Changing food service operations
There have also been some significant changes to the way that the school catering operation works with it no longer simply being a lunchtime service in many schools. 

Demand is such that schools now see themselves offering a breakfast service, more foods are being sourced locally and prepared on site, kiosks and cafeterias are now seen together, lunch periods have been reviewed and in some cases staggered, and healthy food options such as salad bars have been introduced and become more of a regular feature. 

A commercial approach
Many schools now have a commercial approach to food service provision and have been forced to take a strategic view on improving the kitchen, training staff, sourcing food and running the cafeteria which all lead to improvements in the process and it has helped to transform the way that the equipment is sourced and used as a result.

Food preparation, eating and even waste management are now integrated as part of the lessons for life embedded in daily school routines.

With commercial pressures on budgets and media pressure being credited for encouraging change, schools now have choices when it comes to catering, for which there are advantages and disadvantages that need to be carefully evaluated:

In-House Catering	Contracted-Out Catering	Local Authority Catering
Advantages: School has total control over the food choices More money can be spent on meal provision as no commercial margin needs to be made Greater flexibility and menu control	Advantages: Considerable experience and expertise of the contractors Management of the administrative tasks such as recruitment, training, compliance etc borne by others Enhanced buying power of the contractor may mean costs are not increased	Advantages: Can combine benefits of both systems so increasing buying power and reducing the need to make a profit, allowing more money for food
Drawbacks: Management and resources for the catering function Cost Regulatory compliance such as health and safety Staff issues such as holiday and sickness cover	Drawbacks: Loss of control over management and menus Less flexibility to change due to contractual terms Some school staff time may be required to deal with compliance and contract terms	Drawbacks: Potential loss of relationship with the caterer and therefore personal requests and preferences may not be addressed.

Source – Schools for the Future, 2007

A well designed kitchen is key
Given the fact that all food served at the school comes from the kitchen, it is vitally important that the kitchen is well designed and laid out to help the delivery of a high quality food offering.  An ergonomic layout is essential to this with key areas such as delivery, storage, food preparation, cooking, plating up, washing up and staff areas being clearly defined.

The key components of a good kitchen layout include:

• Effective, functional layout to allow staff to operate effectively and efficiently
• Good lighting
• Good ventilation and extraction to ensure regulatory compliance as well as a good working environment
• Suitable equipment that is maintained and looked after
• Access for the delivery of food and equipment

Given the change in dietary demands there have been changes in the equipment used by schools and items such as the deep fat fryer are used to a much lesser extent than they were a decade ago.  There has been a growing introduction of combination ovens which provide consistent results and mass catering opportunities and there are still requirements for good quality refrigerators, freezers and cold rooms, bratt pans, food processors and mixers too.

Presentation is vital too
For the food to be presented in the best way the school kitchen needs to have the right way to present and serve the food to the pupils and staff as quickly and efficiently as possible.  People have a limited amount of time and do not want to spend too much time in a queue so what is important are:

• Attractive food display and presentation units
• Healthy food display options such as fruit bowls and salad bars
• Efficient layout for speed of service
• Self-service
• Space to allow for queues to the servery and to the till

Food servery options have changed a great deal in recent years with ambient, heated and refrigerated displays now designed specifically for the school sector.  Many are available in bright colours and modern design to enhance the way that the food is presented and to encourage the consumption of the healthier options too.

The image of the old school canteen has also been overhauled with the introduction of great products to enhance the dining room and add to the overall dining experience.  Durable and high quality tables and chairs which can be used by the school at other times of the day are available and products can be mixed-and-matched to allow different layouts but simple things that do need to be given careful consideration are lighting, space and adequate storage for furniture when the dining hall is used for other purposes too.

School food for the future will continue to evolve
As the range of food on offer within the UK as a whole continues to expand, so will the diversity of food on offer in schools continue to change.  One thing is for sure, schools will need to continue to review the provision of meals and the needs of their pupils and respond accordingly if healthy eating and lifestyle choices are to be made.

Catering managers and chefs in schools face a constant challenge to balance the potential from the kitchen with the food service needs but there are definite changes taking place and over time this will undoubtedly continue and in the longer term contribute to improving the healthy lifestyles of the current generation of children in our schools.

Extend the use of your cooking oil

Cooking oil lasts longer if it is filtered on a daily basis. But this can be a time consuming and even hazardous operation – which has prompted the introduction by Lincat of three new, heavy duty Opus 700 fryers with on-board filtration – These new models have the capacity to extend the life of your cooking oil by up to 50%.

Key things to think about when using oil in the kitchen include:

• If you filter the oil manually, make sure it is at the optimum temperature before you start: 40°C is ideal. Too hot and you run the risk of serious burns, too cold and the oil becomes viscous and can take longer to filter. Use a good temperature probe to be certain.
• Filter oil into a metal container standing on a metal tray to minimise the risk of spills. Always dispose of oil in an environmentally friendly fashion via a licensed waste oil collection service; you can’t just pour it away no matter how small the amount.
• Do everything you can to keep your frying oil really clean. Always remove residual food particles from the oil with a wire spider. If left in the fryer they will carbonise, taint the flavour of the food and reduce the life of the oil.
• Take the frying baskets out of the oil when not in use and use the dust covers. This will help to keep the oil as clean as possible – even oxygen contributes to oil degradation over time.
• Clean your fryer thoroughly and make sure that it is completely dry before you load new oil. Water contamination will significantly reduce the life of your cooking oil.
• Wet food and fryers don’t mix! Ensure that all food you are cooking is as dry as possible, so remove ice from frozen products before cooking them. Not only will this prevent spitting, but it will also extend the life of the oil.

In short, look after your oil and it will look after you, and always keep your fryer topped up as the food absorbs the oil whilst cooking.  For more information about the new range of filtration fryers available please do not hesitate to contact us.

Meeting the equipment needs of the mobile caterer

With a wide range of equipment suited to the particular needs of the mobile caterer, Graffters is well placed to supply you with what you need.  We are as passionate about the mobile caterer that serves up that first bacon roll and a cup of tea in the morning to all our other catering customers and their businesses.

Working with leading manufacturers such as Parry we are able to offer dedicated mobile equipment that is continually evolving to ensure that the equipment is ready for whatever journey you have planned.  Many of the products are designed and manufactured in LPG and Natutral Gas so we are really able to focus in on what the mobile caterer wants.

So next time that you are in the market for new LPG and mobile kit that’s designed to be on the road as long as you are, please take a look at what we have to offer and give us a call on 0845 702 3877 for a quote.

Roasting without bounds – even overnight!

Meat is a very expensive and demanding raw material, a significant cost within the commercial kitchen and each piece of meat needs special individual treatment to bring out the best in it.  Also, meat can be prepared in very different ways.  Self Cooking Control from Rational takes all of these factors into consideration along with regional cooking and eating customs.

No matter whether it’s cooked or braised meat, roast beef, leg of lamb, saddle of venison, spare ribs or roast with crackling, everything is optimally browned and succulently tender to the core – and all of this is done automatically in a combination oven.  Pieces of different sizes can be reliably cooked at the same time, over and over again, even overnight.

Use the Rational Self Cooking Centre around the clock and remember that overnight cooking minimises weight and trimming losseds and dramatically expands the equipment capacity of your kitchen.

For more information about a Rational Self Cooking Centre or to arrange a demonstration in our new showroom, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0845 702 3877.

New sous vide cooker causing a stir

Sous vide cooking (or cooking under vacuum) is favoured by many proponents of haute cuisine because it retains flavour, aroma and texture, minimises shrinkage and guarantees consistent results. It is also a favourite of larger operations that use advance bulk cooking for banqueting or speeding up serving and controlling wastage.

Graffters is pleased to announce the launch of  the Sirman Sous Vide Softcooker which uses the ‘stirred’ method of sous vide cooking. This enables consistent temperature control throughout the whole water bath at all times. The Sirman Softcooker attaches to a gastronorm pan and can heat up to 50 litres of water, holding the temperature between 20 to 100 degrees C with an accuracy of +/-0.03 degrees C.

Its 2kW warming element has a clear temperature display and easily adjusted push button controls. For safety, a protection device switches off the warmer if it is not immersed in liquid while a temperature sensor prevents overload and overheating. A circulating pump helps mix the water in the bath to maintain a constant temperature.

Sturdily constructed from stainless steel with an integral carrying handle, the Softcooker has a safety cage protecting the element and pump.  The unit comes with a full 1 year parts and labour warranty and is available from Graffters.  For more information please do not hesitate to contact us.